Magic: The Gathering Comprehensive Rules

Magic: The Gathering Comprehensive Rules These rules are current as of February 1, 2009. Introduction This document is designed for people who ve moved beyond the basics of the Magic: The Gathering game. If you re a beginning Magic player, you ll probably find these rules intimidating. They re intended to be the ultimate authority for the game, and you won t usually need to refer to them except in specific cases or during competitive games. For casual play and most ordinary situations, you ll find what you need in the Magic: The Gathering basic rulebook. You can download a copy of that rulebook from the Wizards of the Coast Magic rules website at www.wizards.com/magic/rules. If you re sure this is where you want to be, keep reading. This document includes a series of numbered rules followed by a glossary. Many of the numbered rules are divided into subrules, and each separate rule and subrule of the game has its own number. The glossary defines many of the words and phrases used in these rules, along with a few concepts that don t really fit anywhere among the numbered rules. So if you can t find what you re looking for, check the glossary. We at Wizards of the Coast recognize that no matter how detailed the rules, situations will arise in which the interaction of specific cards requires a precise answer. If you have questions, you can get the answers from us at www.wizards.com/customerservice. Additional contact information is on the last page of these rules. In response to play issues and to keep these rules as current as possible, changes may have been made to this document since its publication. See the Wizards of the Coast website for the current version of the official rules. www.wizards.com/magic/rules

Contents 1. The Game 100. General 101. Starting the Game 102. Winning and Losing 103. The Magic Golden Rules 104. Numbers and Symbols 2. Parts of the Game 200. General 201. Characteristics 202. Name 203. Mana Cost and Color 204. Illustration 205. Type Line 206. Expansion Symbol 207. Text Box 208. Power/Toughness 209. Loyalty 210. Information Below the Text Box 212. Card Type, Supertype, and Subtype 213. Spells 214. Permanents 215. Life 216. Tokens 217. Zones 3. Turn Structure 300. General 301. Beginning Phase 302. Untap Step 303. Upkeep Step 304. Draw Step 305. Main Phase 306. Combat Phase 307. Beginning of Combat Step 308. Declare Attackers Step 309. Declare Blockers Step 310. Combat Damage Step 311. End of Combat Step 312. End Phase 313. End of Turn Step 314. Cleanup Step 4. Spells, Abilities, and Effects 400. General 401. Spells on the Stack 402. Abilities 403. Activated Abilities 404. Triggered Abilities 405. Static Abilities 406. Mana Abilities 407. Linked Abilities 408. Timing of Spells and Abilities 409. Playing Spells and Activated Abilities

410. Handling Triggered Abilities 411. Playing Mana Abilities 412. Handling Static Abilities 413. Resolving Spells and Abilities 414. Countering Spells and Abilities 415. Targeted Spells and Abilities 416. Effects 417. One-Shot Effects 418. Continuous Effects 419. Replacement and Prevention Effects 420. State-Based Effects 421. Handling Infinite Loops 422. Handling Illegal Actions 423. Drawing a Card 424. Costs 5. Additional Rules 500. Legal Attacks and Blocks 501. Keyword Actions 502. Keyword Abilities 503. Copying Objects 504. Face-Down Spells and Permanents 505. Split Cards 506. Subgames 507. Controlling Another Player s Turn 508. Flip Cards 509. Ending the Turn 510. Status 511. Flipping a Coin 6. Multiplayer Rules 600. General 601. Limited Range of Influence Option 602. Attack Multiple Players Option 603. Deploy Creatures Option 604. Attack Left and Attack Right Options 605. Free-for-All Variant 606. Two-Headed Giant Variant 607. Emperor Variant 608. Grand Melee Variant 609. Teams Variant Glossary Credits Questions?

1. The Game 100. General 100.1. These Magic rules apply to any Magic game with two or more players, including two-player games and multiplayer games. 100.1a A two-player game is a game that begins with only two players. 100.1b A multiplayer game is a game that begins with more than two players. See section 6, Multiplayer Rules. 100.2. In constructed play, each player needs his or her own deck of at least sixty cards, small items to represent any tokens and counters, and some way to clearly track life totals. A constructed deck can have any number of basic land cards and no more than four of any card with a particular English name other than basic land cards. 100.3. For sealed deck or draft play, only forty cards are required in a deck, and a player may use as many duplicates of a card as he or she has. Each player still needs small items to represent any tokens and counters, and some way to clearly track life totals. 100.4. There is no maximum deck size. 100.5. Most Magic tournaments have special rules (not included here) and may limit the use of some cards, including barring all cards from some older sets. See the most current Magic: The Gathering DCI Floor Rules for more information. They can be found at http://www.wizards.com/magic/tcg/events.aspx?x=dci/doccenter/home. 101. Starting the Game 101.1. At the start of a game, each player shuffles his or her deck so that the cards are in a random order. Each player may then shuffle his or her opponents decks. The players decks become their libraries. 101.2. After the decks have been shuffled, the players determine who chooses which player goes first using any mutually agreeable method (flipping a coin, rolling dice, etc.). In a match of several games, the loser of the previous game decides who will take the first turn. If the previous game was a draw, the person who determined who would take the first turn in the previous game decides. 101.3. Once the starting player has been determined, each player sets his or her life total to 20 and draws a hand of seven cards. 101.3a In a Two-Headed Giant game, each team starts with a shared life total of 30 instead. 101.4. A player who is dissatisfied with his or her initial hand may mulligan. First, the starting player takes any mulligans. To take a mulligan, that player shuffles his or her hand back into the deck and then draws a new hand of six cards. He or she may repeat this process as many times as desired, drawing one fewer card each time, until the hand size reaches zero cards. Once the starting player has decided to keep a hand, those cards become his or her opening hand. Then each other player (in turn order) may take any number of mulligans. A player can t take any mulligans once he or she has decided to keep an opening hand. 101.4a In a multiplayer game, the first time a player takes a mulligan, he or she draws a new hand of seven cards rather than six cards. Subsequent hands decrease by one card as normal.

101.4b The Two-Headed Giant variant uses the multiplayer mulligan rule, with some modifications. First, the starting team takes any mulligans. For a team to take a mulligan, each player on that team decides whether or not to take a mulligan, then all players who chose to do so take their mulligans at the same time. The first time a player takes a mulligan, he or she draws a new hand of seven cards. After each player on that team who took a mulligan looks at his or her new hand, the team repeats the process. (Subsequent hands decrease by one card as normal.) Once a player has decided to keep a hand, those cards become his or her opening hand. That player can t take any more mulligans, but his or her teammate may. Once each player on the starting team decides to keep an opening hand, the other team may take mulligans. Example: Bob and Clare are the starting team in a Two-Headed Giant game. They each draw seven cards. After reviewing each other s hands, both Bob and Clare decide to mulligan. Each shuffles his or her hand into his or her deck and draws seven cards. Clare isn t sure about Bob s new hand, but he decides to keep it. Clare decides to take another mulligan. Bob s hand becomes his opening hand, and Clare shuffles her hand into her deck and draws six cards. Then only Clare has the option to mulligan. She decides to keep her hand of six cards and that becomes her opening hand. After that, the other team decides whether to take mulligans. 101.5. Once all players have kept their opening hands, if any cards in the starting player s hand allow that player to begin the game with those cards in play, he or she may put any or all of them into play. Then each other player, in turn order, may do the same. 101.6. The starting player takes his or her first turn. 101.6a In a two-player game, the player who plays first skips the draw step (see rule 304, Draw Step ) of his or her first turn. 101.6b In a Two-Headed Giant game, the team who plays first skips the draw step of their first turn. In all other multiplayer games, no player skips the draw step of his or her first turn. 102. Winning and Losing 102.1. A game ends immediately when either a player wins or the game is a draw. 102.2. There are several ways to win the game. 102.2a A player still in the game wins the game if all of that player s opponents have lost the game. 102.2b An effect may state that a player wins the game. (In certain multiplayer games, this may not cause the game to end; see rule 102.3g.) 102.2c In a multiplayer game between teams, a team with at least one player still in the game wins the game if all other teams have lost the game. Each player on the winning team wins the game, even if one or more of those players had previously lost that game. 102.3. There are several ways to lose the game. 102.3a A player can concede the game at any time. A player who concedes leaves the game immediately. He or she loses the game. 102.3b If a player s life total is 0 or less, he or she loses the game the next time a player would receive priority. (This is a state-based effect. See rule 420.) 102.3c When a player is required to draw more cards than are left in his or her library, he or she draws the remaining cards, and then loses the game the next time a player would receive priority. (This is a state-based effect. See rule 420.)

102.3d If a player has ten or more poison counters, he or she loses the game the next time a player would receive priority. (This is a state-based effect. See rule 420.) 102.3e If a player would both win and lose simultaneously, he or she loses. 102.3f In a multiplayer game between teams, a team loses the game if all players on that team have lost. 102.3g In a multiplayer game using the limited range of influence option, an effect that states that a player wins the game instead causes all of that player s opponents within his or her range of influence to lose the game. 102.4. There are several ways to draw the game. 102.4a If all the players remaining in a game lose simultaneously, the game is a draw. 102.4b If the game somehow enters a loop, repeating a sequence of events with no way to stop, the game is a draw. Loops that contain an optional action don t result in a draw. 102.4c In a multiplayer game between teams, the game is a draw if all remaining teams lose at once. 102.5. If a player loses the game, he or she leaves the game. Likewise, if a player leaves the game, he or she loses the game. The multiplayer rules handle what happens when a player leaves the game; see rule 600.4. 103. The Magic Golden Rules 103.1. Whenever a card s text directly contradicts these rules, the card takes precedence. The card overrides only the rule that applies to that specific situation. The only exception is that a player can concede the game at any time (see rule 102.3a). 103.2. When a rule or effect says something can happen and another effect says it can t, the can t effect wins. For example, if one effect reads You may play an additional land this turn and another reads You can t play land cards this turn, the effect that keeps you from playing lands wins out. Note that adding abilities to objects and removing abilities from objects don t fall under this rule; see rule 402.9. 103.3. If an instruction requires taking an impossible action, it s ignored. (In many cases the card will specify consequences for this; if it doesn t, there s no effect.) 103.4. If multiple players would make choices and/or take actions at the same time, the active player (the player whose turn it is) makes any choices required, then the next player in turn order (usually the player seated to the active player s left) makes any choices required, followed by the remaining nonactive players in turn order. Then the actions happen simultaneously. This rule is often referred to as the Active Player, Nonactive Player (APNAP) order rule. Example: A card reads Each player sacrifices a creature. First, the active player chooses a creature he or she controls. Then each of the nonactive players chooses a creature he or she controls. Then all creatures are sacrificed simultaneously. 103.4a If an effect has each player choose a card in a hidden zone, such as his or her hand or library, those cards may remain face down as they re chosen. However, each player must clearly indicate which face-down card he or she is choosing. 103.4b A player knows the choices made by the previous players when he or she makes his or her choice, except as specified in 103.4a.

103.4c If a player would make more than one choice at the same time, the player makes the choices in the order written, or in the order he or she chooses if the choices aren t ordered. 104. Numbers and Symbols 104.1. The Magic game uses only integers. 104.1a You can t choose a fractional number, deal fractional damage, gain fractional life, and so on. If a spell or ability could generate a fractional number, the spell or ability will tell you whether to round up or down. 104.1b Most of the time, the Magic game uses only positive numbers. You can t choose a negative number, deal negative damage, gain negative life, and so on. However, it s possible for a game value, such as a creature s power, to be less than zero. If a calculation or comparison that would determine the result of an effect needs to use a negative value, it does so. If such a calculation yields a negative number, zero is used instead, unless that effect sets a player s life total to a specific value, sets a creature s power or toughness to a specific value, or otherwise modifies a creature s power or toughness. Example: If a 3/4 creature gets -5/-0, it s a -2/4 creature. It deals no damage in combat. Its total power and toughness is 2. You d have to give it +3/+0 to raise its power to 1. Example: Viridian Joiner is a 1/2 creature that says {T}: Add an amount of {G} to your mana pool equal to Viridian Joiner s power. An effect gives it -2/-0, then its ability is activated. The ability adds no mana to your mana pool. 104.2. If anything needs to use a number that can t be determined, either as a result or in a calculation, it uses 0 instead. 104.3. The mana symbols are {W}, {U}, {B}, {R}, {G}, and {X}; the numerals {0}, {1}, {2}, {3}, {4}, and so on; the hybrid symbols {W/U}, {W/B}, {U/B}, {U/R}, {B/R}, {B/G}, {R/G}, {R/W}, {G/W}, and {G/U}; the monocolored hybrid symbols {2/W}, {2/U}, {2/B}, {2/R}, and {2/G}; and the snow symbol {S}. 104.3a Each of the colored mana symbols represents one colored mana: {W} is white, {U} blue, {B} black, {R} red, and {G} green. 104.3b Numeral symbols (such as {1}) are generic mana costs and represent an amount of mana that can be paid with any color of, or colorless, mana. 104.3c The symbol {X} represents an unspecified amount of mana. When playing a spell or activated ability with {X} in its cost, its controller decides the value of that variable. 104.3d Numeral symbols (such as {1}) and variable symbols (such as {X}) can also represent colorless mana if they appear in the effect of a spell or ability that reads add [mana symbol] to your mana pool or something similar. 104.3e The symbol {0} represents zero mana and is used as a placeholder when a spell or activated ability costs nothing to play. A spell or ability whose cost is {0} must still be played the same way as one with a cost greater than zero; it won t play itself automatically. 104.3f Each of the hybrid mana symbols represents a cost that can be paid in one of two ways, as represented by the two halves of the hybrid mana symbol. A hybrid symbol such as {W/U} be paid with either white or blue mana, and a monocolored hybrid symbol such as {2/B} can be paid with either one black mana or two mana of any color of, or colorless, mana. A hybrid mana symbol is all of its component colors. Example: {G/W}{G/W} can be paid by spending {G}{G}, {G}{W}, or {W}{W}.

104.3g If an effect would add mana represented by a hybrid mana symbol to a player s mana pool, that player chooses one half of that symbol. If a colored half is chosen, one mana of that color is added to that player s mana pool. If a colorless half is chosen, an amount of colorless mana represented by that half s number is added to that player s mana pool. 104.3h If a cost would be reduced by an amount of mana represented by a hybrid mana symbol, the player paying that cost chooses one half of that symbol at the time the cost reduction is applied (see rule 409.1f). If a colored half is chosen, the cost is reduced by one mana of that color (or, if the cost can t be reduced by one mana of that color, the cost is reduced by one generic mana). If a colorless half is chosen, the cost is reduced by an amount of generic mana equal to that half s number. 104.3i The snow mana symbol {S} represents a cost that can be paid with one mana produced by a snow permanent. This is a generic mana cost that can be paid with any color of, or colorless, mana. Effects that reduce the amount of generic mana you pay don t affect {S} costs. 104.4. The tap symbol is {T}. The tap symbol in an activation cost means Tap this permanent. A permanent that s already tapped can t be tapped again to pay the cost. Creatures that haven t been under a player s control continuously since the beginning of his or her most recent turn can t use any ability with the tap symbol in the cost. See rule 212.3f. 104.5. The untap symbol is {Q}. The untap symbol in an activation cost means Untap this permanent. A permanent that s already untapped can t be untapped again to pay the cost. Creatures that haven t been under a player s control continuously since the beginning of his or her most recent turn can t use any ability with the untap symbol in the cost. See rule 212.3f. 104.6. A tombstone icon appears to the left of the name of many Odyssey block cards with abilities that are relevant in a player s graveyard. The purpose of the icon is to make those cards stand out when they re in a graveyard. This icon has no effect on game play. 104.7. A type icon appears in the upper left corner of each card from the Future Sight set printed with an alternate timeshifted frame. If the card has a single card type, this icon indicates what it is: claw marks for creature, a flame for sorcery, a lightning bolt for instant, a sunrise for enchantment, a chalice for artifact, and a pair of mountain peaks for land. If the card has multiple card types, that s indicated by a black and white cross. This icon has no effect on game play. 104.8. Each activated ability of a planeswalker has an arrow-shaped loyalty symbol in its cost. Positive loyalty symbols point upward and feature a plus sign followed by a number or an X. Negative loyalty symbols point downward and feature a minus sign followed by a number or an X. [+N] means Put N loyalty counters on this permanent, and [-N] means Remove N loyalty counters from this permanent.

2. Parts of the Game 200. General 200.1. When a rule or text on a card refers to a card, it means a Magic card with a Magic card front and the Magic card back. Tokens aren t considered cards even a card that represents a token isn t considered a card for rules purposes. 200.1a A card s owner is the player who started the game with it in his or her deck or, for cards that didn t start the game in a player s deck, the player who brought the card into the game. 200.2. Use the Oracle card reference when determining a card s wording. A card s Oracle text can be found using the Gatherer card database at http://gatherer.wizards.com. 200.3. A player is one of the people in the game. The active player is the player whose turn it is. The other players are nonactive players. 200.3a In a multiplayer game between teams, a player s teammates are the other players on his or her team, and the player s opponents are all players not on his or her team. 200.4. A token is a marker used to represent any permanent that isn t represented by a card. (See rule 216, Tokens. ) 200.4a A token s owner is the player who controlled the spell or ability that put it into play. A token s controller is the player who put it into play. 200.5. A spell is a card, or copy of a spell or card, that s on the stack. (See rule 213, Spells. ) 200.5a A spell s owner is the same as the owner of the card that represents it. The owner of a copy of a spell is the controller of the effect that created it. A spell s controller is the player who played it. 200.6. A permanent is a card or token that s in play. (See rule 214, Permanents. ) 200.6a A nontoken permanent s owner is the same as the owner of the card that represents it. A permanent s controller is the player who put it into play. 200.7. An ability can be one of two things. First, it can be an activated or triggered ability on the stack. Second, it can be text on an object that explains what the object does. (See rule 402, Abilities, and section 4, Spells, Abilities, and Effects. ) 200.7a The controller of an activated ability is the player who played the ability. The controller of a triggered ability is the player who controlled the ability s source when it triggered, unless it s a delayed triggered ability. The controller of a delayed triggered ability is the player who controlled the spell or ability that created it. 200.8. An object is an ability on the stack, a card, a copy of a card, a token, a spell, or a permanent. The term object is used in these rules when a rule applies to abilities on the stack, cards, tokens, spells, and permanents. Combat damage on the stack is also an object, although many uses of the term object in these rules don t apply to it. 200.9. If a spell or ability uses a description of an object that includes a card type or subtype, but doesn t include the word card, spell, or source, it means a permanent of that card type or subtype in play.

200.9a If a spell or ability uses a description of an object that includes the word card and the name of a zone, it means a card matching that description in the stated zone. 200.9b If a spell or ability uses a description of an object that includes the word spell, it means a spell matching that description on the stack. 200.9c If a spell or ability uses a description of an object that includes the word source, it means a source matching that description either a source of an ability or a source of damage in any zone. See rule 419.8 Sources of Damage. 200.10. A counter is a marker placed on an object or player, either modifying its characteristics or interacting with an ability. A counter is not a token, and a token is not a counter. Counters with the same name or description are interchangeable. 200.10a A +X/+Y counter on a permanent, where X and Y are numbers, adds X to that permanent s power and Y to that permanent s toughness. Similarly, -X/-Y counters subtract from power and toughness. 200.10b The number of loyalty counters on a planeswalker in play indicates how much loyalty it has. 200.10c If a spell or ability refers to a counter being placed on a permanent, it means putting a counter on that permanent while it s in play, or that permanent coming into play with a counter. 200.11. The parts of a card are name, mana cost, illustration, type line, expansion symbol, text box, power and toughness, loyalty, illustration credit, legal text, and collector number. Some cards may have more than one of any or all of these parts. 201. Characteristics 201.1. An object s characteristics are name, mana cost, color, card type, subtype, supertype, expansion symbol, rules text, abilities, power, toughness, and loyalty. Objects can have some or all of these characteristics. Any other information about an object isn t a characteristic. For example, characteristics don t include whether a permanent is tapped, a spell s target, an object s owner or controller, what an Aura enchants, and so on. 202. Name 202.1. The name of a card is printed on its upper left corner. 202.2. Text that refers to the object it s on by name means just that particular object and not any other duplicates of it, regardless of any name changes caused by game effects. 202.2a If an ability of an object uses a phrase such as this [something] to identify an object, where [something] is a characteristic, it is referring to that particular object, even if it isn t the appropriate characteristic at the time. Example: An ability reads Target creature gets +2/+2 until end of turn. Destroy that creature at end of turn. The ability will destroy the object it gave +2/+2 at the end of the turn, even if that object isn t a creature anymore. 202.2b If an ability of an object grants to an object an ability that refers to the first object by name, the name refers only to the object whose ability grants that ability, not to any other object with the same name. Example: Saproling Burst has an ability that reads Remove a fade counter from Saproling Burst: Put a green Saproling creature token into play. It has This creature s power and toughness are each equal to the number of fade counters on Saproling

Burst. The ability granted to the token only looks at the Saproling Burst that created the token, not at any other Saproling Burst in play. 202.3. Two cards have the same name if the English versions of their names are identical, regardless of anything else printed on the cards. 203. Mana Cost and Color 203.1. The mana cost of a card is indicated by mana symbols near the top of the card. On most cards, these symbols are printed in the upper right corner. Some cards from the Future Sight set have alternate frames in which the mana symbols appear to the left of the art. Paying an object s mana cost requires matching the color of any colored mana symbols as well as paying the generic mana indicated in the cost. 203.1a A copy of an object copies that object s mana cost. See rule 503, Copying Objects. 203.1b Some cards have no mana symbols where their mana cost would appear. This represents an unpayable cost. An ability can also have an unpayable cost if its cost is based on the mana cost of a spell with no mana cost. Attempting to play a spell or ability that has an unpayable cost is a legal action. However, attempting to pay an unpayable cost is an illegal action. If an unpayable cost is increased by an effect or an additional cost is imposed, the cost is still unpayable. If an alternative cost is applied to an unpayable cost, including an effect that allows you to play a spell without paying its mana cost, the alternative cost may be paid. 203.1c Lands normally have no mana cost. Lands are played without paying any costs. 203.1d Tokens have no mana cost unless the effect that creates them specifies otherwise. 203.2. An object is the color or colors of the mana symbols in its mana cost, regardless of the color of its frame. 203.2a Objects with no colored mana symbols in their mana costs are colorless. 203.2b An object with two or more different colored mana symbols in its mana cost is each of the colors of those mana symbols. Most multicolored cards are printed with a gold frame, but this is not a requirement for a card to be multicolored. 203.2c The five colors are white, blue, black, red, and green. The white mana symbol is represented by {W}, blue by {U}, black by {B}, red by {R}, and green by {G}. Example: An object with a mana cost of {2}{W} is white, an object with a mana cost of {2} is colorless, and one with a mana cost of {2}{W}{B} is both white and black. 203.2d If a player is asked to choose a color, he or she must choose one of the five colors. Multicolored is not a color. 203.2e An object with one or more hybrid mana symbols in its mana cost is all of the colors of those mana symbols, in addition to any other colors the object might be. Most cards with hybrid mana symbols in their mana costs are printed in a two-tone frame. See rule 104.3f. 203.3. The converted mana cost of an object is a number equal to the total amount of mana in its mana cost, regardless of color. Some effects ask a player to pay mana equal to an object s converted mana cost; this cost may be paid with any combination of colored and/or colorless mana, regardless of the colors in the object s mana cost. Example: A mana cost of {3}{U}{U} translates to a converted mana cost of 5. 203.3a The converted mana cost of an object with no mana cost is 0.

203.3b When calculating the converted mana cost of an object with an {X} in its mana cost, X is treated as 0 while the object is not on the stack, and X is treated as the number chosen for it while the object is on the stack. 203.3c When calculating the converted mana cost of an object with a hybrid mana symbol in its mana cost, use the largest component of each hybrid symbol. Example: The converted mana cost of a card with mana cost {1}{W/U}{W/U} is 3. Example: The converted mana cost of a card with mana cost {2/B}{2/B}{2/B} is 6. 203.4. Any additional cost listed in an object s rules text or imposed by an effect isn t part of the mana cost. (See rule 409, Playing Spells and Activated Abilities. ) Such costs are paid at the same time as the spell s other costs. 204. Illustration 204.1. The illustration is printed on the upper half of a card and has no game significance. For example, a creature doesn t have the flying ability unless stated in its rules text, even if it s depicted as flying. 205. Type Line 205.1. The card type (and subtype and supertype, if applicable) of a card is printed directly below the illustration. (See rule 212, Card Type, Supertype, and Subtype. ) 205.2. Card Types 205.2a The card types are artifact, creature, enchantment, instant, land, planeswalker, sorcery, and tribal. 205.2b Some objects have more than one card type (for example, an artifact creature). Such objects satisfy the criteria for any effect that applies to any of their card types. 205.3. Subtypes 205.3a A card can have one or more subtypes printed on its type line. 205.3b Subtypes are always single words and are listed after a long dash. Each word after the dash is a separate subtype. 205.3c Subtypes of a [card type] object are also called [card type] types. For example, creature subtypes are also called creature types. Objects may have multiple subtypes. Example: Basic Land Mountain means the card is a land with the Mountain subtype. Creature Goblin Wizard means the card is a creature with the subtypes Goblin and Wizard. Artifact Equipment means the card is an artifact with the subtype Equipment. 205.3d Artifact, enchantment, land, and planeswalker each have their own unique set of possible subtypes. Instant and sorcery share their lists of subtypes; these subtypes are called spell types. Creature and tribal also share their lists of subtypes; these subtypes are called creature types. (You can find complete lists of subtypes in the glossary at the end of this document under Creature Types, Land Types, and so on.) 205.3e If a card with multiple card types has one or more subtypes, each subtype is correlated to its appropriate card type. Example: Dryad Arbor s type line says Land Creature Forest Dryad. Forest is a land type, and Dryad is a creature type.

205.4. Supertypes 205.4a A card can also have one or more supertypes. These are printed directly before its card types. If an object s card types or subtypes change, any supertypes it has are kept, although they may not be relevant to the new card type. 205.4b Any land with the supertype basic is a basic land. Any land that doesn t have this supertype is a nonbasic land. Example: Note that cards printed in sets prior to the Eighth Edition core set didn t use the word basic to indicate a basic land. Cards from those sets with the following names are basic lands: Forest, Island, Mountain, Plains, Swamp, Snow-Covered Forest, Snow-Covered Island, Snow-Covered Mountain, Snow-Covered Plains, and Snow- Covered Swamp. 205.4c Any permanent with the supertype legendary is subject to the state-based effect for legendary permanents, also called the legend rule (see rule 420.5e). 205.4d Any permanent with the supertype world is subject to the state-based effect for world permanents, also called the world rule (see rule 420.5i). 205.4e Any permanent with the supertype snow is a snow permanent. Any permanent that doesn t have this supertype is a nonsnow permanent, regardless of its name. 206. Expansion Symbol 206.1. The expansion symbol indicates which Magic set a card is from. It s normally printed below the right edge of the illustration. 206.2. The color of the expansion symbol indicates the rarity of the card within its set. A red-orange symbol indicates the card is mythic rare. A gold symbol indicates the card is rare. A silver symbol indicates the card is uncommon. A black or white symbol indicates the card is common or is a basic land. A purple symbol signifies a special rarity; to date, only the Time Spiral timeshifted cards, which were rarer than that set s rare cards, have had purple expansion symbols. (Prior to the Exodus set, all expansion symbols were black, regardless of rarity. Also, prior to the Sixth Edition core set, Magic core sets didn t have expansion symbols at all.) 206.3. A spell or ability that affects cards from a particular set looks only for that set s expansion symbol. A card reprinted in the core set receives the core set s expansion symbol. Any reprinted version of the card no longer counts as part of its original set unless it was reprinted with that set s expansion symbol. The first five editions of the core set had no expansion symbol. 207. Text Box 207.1. The text box is printed on the lower half of the card. It usually contains rules text defining the card s abilities. 207.2. The text box may also contain italicized reminder text (in parentheses), which summarizes a rule that applies to that card, and italicized flavor text, which has no game function, but like the illustration, adds artistic appeal to the game. 207.3. A guild icon appears in the text box of many Ravnica block cards. These cards either have the specified guild s exclusive mechanic or somehow relate to the two colors associated with that guild. Guild icons have no effect on game play. 208. Power/Toughness

208.1. A creature card has two numbers separated by a slash printed in its lower right corner. The first number is its power (the amount of damage it deals in combat); the second is its toughness (the amount of damage needed to destroy it). For example, 2/3 means the object has power 2 and toughness 3. Power and toughness can be modified or set to particular values by effects. 208.2. Some creature cards have power and/or toughness represented by a * instead of a number. The object has a characteristic-defining ability that sets its power and/or toughness according to some stated condition. This ability functions everywhere, even outside the game. If the ability needs to use a number that can t be determined, use 0 instead of that number. Example: Lost Order of Jarkeld has power and toughness each equal to 1+*. It says As Lost Order of Jarkeld comes into play, choose an opponent and Lost Order of Jarkeld s power and toughness are each equal to 1 plus the number of creatures that opponent controls. While Lost Order of Jarkeld isn t in play, there won t be a chosen opponent. Its power and toughness will each be equal to 1 plus 0, so it s a 1/1. 208.3. A noncreature permanent has no power or toughness, even if it s a card with a power and toughness printed on it (such as a Licid that s become an Aura). 209. Loyalty 209.1. Each planeswalker card has a loyalty number printed in its lower right corner. This indicates its loyalty while it s not in play, and it also indicates that the planeswalker comes into play with that many loyalty counters on it. 210. Information Below the Text Box 210.1. Each card features text printed below the text box that has no effect on game play. 210.1a The illustration credit for a card is printed on the first line below the text box. It follows the abbreviation Illus. or, in more recent years, a paintbrush icon. 210.1b Legal text (the fine print at the bottom of the card) lists the trademark and copyright information. 210.1c Some card sets feature collector numbers. This information is printed in the form [card number]/[total cards in the set], immediately following the legal text. 211. [This section has been intentionally left blank to preserve the ordering of other rules.] 212. Card Type, Supertype, and Subtype 212.1. General 212.1a Cards, tokens, permanents, and spells can all have card types, supertypes, and subtypes. Abilities don t have card types, supertypes, or subtypes. Instead, there are various categories of abilities. (See rule 402, Abilities. ) 212.1b. When an object s card type changes, the new card type(s) replaces any existing card types. Counters, effects, and damage affecting the object remain with it, even if they are meaningless to the new card type. Similarly, when one or more of an object s subtypes changes, the new subtype(s) replaces any existing subtypes from the appropriate set (creature types, land types, artifact types, enchantment types, planeswalker types, or spell types). If an object s card type is removed, the subtypes correlated with that card type will remain if they are also the subtypes of a card type the object currently has; otherwise, they are also removed for the entire time the object s card type is removed. Removing an object s subtype doesn t affect its card types at all.

212.1c Some effects change an object s card type, supertype, or subtype but specify that the object retains a prior card type, supertype, or subtype. In such cases, all the object s prior card types, supertypes, and subtypes are retained. This rule applies to effects that use the phrase in addition to its types or that state that something is still a [card type]. Some effects state that an object becomes an artifact creature ; these effects also allow the object to retain all of its prior card types and subtypes. Example: An ability reads, All lands are 1/1 creatures that are still lands. The affected lands now have two card types: creature and land. If there were any lands that were also artifacts before the ability s effect applied to them, those lands would become artifact land creatures, not just creatures, or land creatures. The effect allows them to retain both the card type artifact and the card type land. Example: An ability reads, All artifacts are 1/1 artifact creatures. If a permanent is both an artifact and an enchantment, it will become an artifact enchantment creature. 212.1d An object s supertype is independent of its card type and subtype. Changing an object s card type or subtype won t change its supertype. Changing an object s supertype won t change its card type or subtype. When an object gains or loses a supertype, it retains any other supertypes it had. Example: An ability reads, All lands are 1/1 creatures that are still lands. If any of the affected lands were legendary, they are still legendary. 212.1e If an instruction requires choosing a subtype, you must choose one, and only one, existing subtype, and the subtype you choose must be for the appropriate card type. For example, you can t choose a land type if an instruction requires choosing a creature type. (Use the Oracle card reference to determine whether a creature type exists; see rule 200.2. You can also find complete lists of subtypes in the glossary at the end of this document under Creature Types, Land Types, etc.) Example: When choosing a creature type, Merfolk or Wizard is acceptable, but Merfolk Wizard is not. Words like artifact, opponent, Swamp, or truck can t be chosen because they aren t creature types. 212.2. Artifacts 212.2a A player who has priority may play an artifact card from his or her hand during a main phase of his or her turn when the stack is empty. Playing an artifact as a spell uses the stack. (See rule 409, Playing Spells and Activated Abilities. ) 212.2b When an artifact spell resolves, its controller puts it into play under his or her control. 212.2c Artifact subtypes are always a single word and are listed after a long dash: Artifact Equipment. Artifact subtypes are also called artifact types. Artifacts may have multiple subtypes. (You can find the complete list of artifact subtypes under Artifact Types in the glossary at the end of this document.) 212.2d Artifacts have no characteristics specific to their card type. Most artifacts have no colored mana symbols in their mana costs, and are therefore colorless. However, there is no correlation between being colorless and being an artifact: artifacts may be colored, and colorless objects may be card types other than artifact. 212.2e Artifact creatures combine the characteristics of both creatures and artifacts, and are subject to spells and abilities that affect either or both card types. 212.2f Artifact lands combine the characteristics of both lands and artifacts, and are subject to spells and abilities that affect either or both card types. Artifact lands can only be played as lands. They can t be played as spells.

212.2g Some artifacts have the subtype Equipment. An Equipment can be attached to a creature. It can t legally be attached to an object that isn t a creature. 212.2h An Equipment is played and comes into play just like any other artifact. An Equipment doesn t come into play attached to a creature. The equip keyword ability moves the Equipment onto a creature you control (see rule 502.33, Equip ). Control of the creature matters only when the equip ability is played and when it resolves. The creature to which the Equipment is to be moved must be able to be equipped by it. If it can t, the Equipment doesn t move. 212.2i An Equipment that s also a creature can t equip a creature. Equipment that loses the subtype Equipment can t equip a creature. An Equipment can t equip itself. An Equipment that equips an illegal or nonexistent permanent becomes unattached from that permanent but remains in play. (This is a state-based effect. See rule 420.) 212.2j The creature an Equipment is attached to is called the equipped creature. The Equipment is attached to, or equips, that creature. 212.2k An Equipment s controller is separate from the equipped creature s controller; the two need not be the same. Changing control of the creature doesn t change control of the Equipment, and vice versa. Only the Equipment s controller can play its abilities. However, if the Equipment adds an ability to the equipped creature (with gains or has ), the equipped creature s controller is the only one who can play that ability. 212.2m Some artifacts have the subtype Fortification. A Fortification can be attached to a land. It can t legally be attached to an object that isn t a land. Rules 212.2h k apply to Fortifications in relation to lands just as they apply to Equipment in relation to creatures. Fortification s analog to the equip keyword ability is the fortify keyword ability. (See rule 502.65, Fortify. ) 212.3. Creatures 212.3a A player who has priority may play a creature card from his or her hand during a main phase of his or her turn when the stack is empty. Playing a creature as a spell uses the stack. (See rule 409, Playing Spells and Activated Abilities. ) 212.3b When a creature spell resolves, its controller puts it into play under his or her control. 212.3c Creature subtypes are always a single word and are listed after a long dash: Creature Human Soldier, Artifact Creature Golem, and so on. Creature subtypes are also called creature types. Creatures may have multiple subtypes. (You can find the complete list of creature subtypes under Creature Types in the glossary at the end of this document.) Example: Creature Goblin Wizard means the card is a creature with the subtypes Goblin and Wizard. 212.3d Power and toughness are characteristics only creatures have. A creature s power is the amount of damage it deals in combat, and its toughness is the amount of damage needed to destroy it. To determine a creature s power and toughness, start with the numbers printed in its lower right corner, then apply any applicable continuous effects. (See rule 418.5, Interaction of Continuous Effects. ) 212.3e Creatures can attack and block. (See rule 308, Declare Attackers Step, and rule 309, Declare Blockers Step. ) 212.3f A creature s activated ability with the tap symbol or the untap symbol in its activation cost can t be played unless the creature has been under its controller s control since the start of his or her most recent turn. A creature can t attack unless it has been under its controller s control

since the start of his or her most recent turn. This rule is informally called the summoning sickness rule. Ignore this rule for creatures with haste (see rule 502.5). 212.3g Damage dealt to a creature stays on that creature. If the total accumulated damage on that creature is equal to or greater than its toughness, that creature has been dealt lethal damage and is destroyed as a state-based effect (see rule 420.5c). All damage on a creature is removed when it regenerates (see rule 501.5, "Regenerate") and during the cleanup step (see rule 314.2). 212.3h Creature lands combine the characteristics of both lands and creatures, and are subject to spells and abilities that affect either or both card types. Creature lands can only be played as lands. They can t be played as spells. 212.4. Enchantments 212.4a A player who has priority may play an enchantment card from his or her hand during a main phase of his or her turn when the stack is empty. Playing an enchantment as a spell uses the stack. (See rule 409, Playing Spells and Activated Abilities. ) 212.4b When an enchantment spell resolves, its controller puts it into play under his or her control. 212.4c Enchantment subtypes are always a single word and are listed after a long dash: Enchantment Shrine. Each word after the dash is a separate subtype. Enchantment subtypes are also called enchantment types. Enchantments may have multiple subtypes. (You can find the complete list of enchantment subtypes under Enchantment Types in the glossary at the end of this document.) 212.4d Some enchantments have the subtype Aura. An Aura comes into play attached to an object or player. What an Aura can be attached to is restricted by its enchant keyword ability (see rule 502.45, Enchant ). Other effects can limit what a permanent can be enchanted by. 212.4e An Aura spell requires a target, which is restricted by its enchant ability. 212.4f If an Aura is enchanting an illegal object or player, the object it was attached to no longer exists, or the player it was attached to has left the game, the Aura is put into its owner s graveyard. (This is a state-based effect. See rule 420.) 212.4g An Aura can t enchant itself, and an Aura that s also a creature can t enchant anything. If this occurs somehow, the Aura is put into its owner s graveyard. (This is a state-based effect. See rule 420.) 212.4h The object or player an Aura is attached to is called enchanted. The Aura is attached to, or enchants, that object or player. 212.4i An Aura s controller is separate from the enchanted object s controller; the two need not be the same. Changing control of the object doesn t change control of the Aura, and vice versa. Only the Aura s controller can play its abilities. However, if the Aura adds an ability to the enchanted object (with gains or has ), the enchanted object s controller is the only one who can play that ability. 212.4j If an Aura is coming into play under a player s control by any means other than by being played, and the effect putting it into play doesn t specify the object or player the Aura will enchant, that player chooses what it will enchant as the Aura comes into play. The player must choose a legal object or player according to the Aura s enchant ability and any other applicable effects. If no legal choice can be made, see rule 212.4k.

212.4k If an Aura is coming into play and there is no legal object or player for it to enchant, the Aura remains in its current zone, unless that zone is the stack. In that case, the Aura is put into its owner s graveyard instead of coming into play. 212.4m If an effect attempts to attach an Aura in play to an object or player, that object or player must be able to be enchanted by it. If the object or player can t be, the Aura doesn t move. 212.5. Instants 212.5a A player who has priority may play an instant card from his or her hand. Playing an instant as a spell uses the stack. (See rule 409, Playing Spells and Activated Abilities. ) 212.5b When an instant spell resolves, the actions stated in its rules text are followed. Then it s put into its owner s graveyard. 212.5c Instant subtypes are always a single word and are listed after a long dash: Instant Arcane. Each word after the dash is a separate subtype. The set of instant subtypes is the same as the set of sorcery subtypes; these subtypes are called spell types. Instants may have multiple subtypes. (You can find the complete list of instant subtypes under Spell Types in the glossary at the end of this document.) 212.5d Instants can t come into play. If an instant would come into play, it remains in its previous zone instead. 212.5e If text states that a player may do something any time he or she could play an instant, it means only that the player must have priority. The player doesn t need to have an instant he or she could actually play. 212.6. Lands 212.6a Playing a land card is a special action (see 408.2d). To play a land card, the player simply puts it into play. The land card doesn t go on the stack, and is never a spell, so players can t respond to it with instants or activated abilities. 212.6b A player who has priority may choose to play a land card from his or her hand during a main phase of his or her turn, when the stack is empty. Continuous effects may allow the player to play land cards from other zones this way, or to play land cards at other times. 212.6c A player may normally play only one land card during his or her turn; however, continuous effects may increase this number. If any such effects exist, the player announces which effect, or this rule, applies to each land play as it happens. 212.6d A player can t play a land, for any reason, if it isn t his or her turn. Ignore any part of an effect that instructs a player to do so. Similarly, a player can t play a land, for any reason, if that player has used all of his or her land plays for that turn. Ignore any part of an effect that instructs a player to do so. 212.6e Effects may also allow players to put lands into play. This isn t the same as playing a land and doesn t count as a player s one land played during his or her turn. 212.6f Land subtypes are always a single word and are listed after a long dash. Land subtypes are also called land types. Lands may have multiple subtypes. (You can find the complete list of land subtypes under Land Types in the glossary at the end of this document.) Example: Basic Land Mountain means the card is a land with the Mountain subtype.